


the: world 

An Elducational Unit 

WITH CENTRALIZED EDUCATION 
THE CONTROLLING FORCE: >^ ^ 



A. D. RAUB 



A plea from thve poor for the same educational home 
environments as the rich; and a plea from the rich 
for better thought. 



THE WORLD 

AN EDUCATIONAL UNIT 

WITH CENTRALIZED EDUCATION 
THE CONTROLLING FORCE J> J^ 



A. D. RAUB 



World and national government through home environment ; 
a mothers' and fathers' movement and our children's greatest hope, 
or an educative division in government and what can be done with it. 



n"(:3HA»Y or :)«NSi8ES£ 

SEP S8 I^OS 



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1 



Copyright, 1905, 
Ruth Dunbar Raub. 



THE WORLD 

AN EDUCATIONAL UNIT 



CONDITIONS WE ALL RECOGNIZE 



T^^._ ,, , iiiii-'i The world wastes 

HE world wastes too much — more than halt its more than half its 
• 1 1 li: riches, 

power, more than half its riches, more than half 

the lives of its men. 

The power created and lost without use far exceeds 
that actually put to useful purpose. The energy pro- 
duced — always at great cost — and frittered away with- 
out productive employment would lighten the labor 
and double the blessed results of all effort. The money 
wasted by half the world would keep the other half 
from want. The food destroyed by millionaires would 
sustain the millions. The opportunities missed by the 
fortunate would, if utilized, banish misfortune from 
the earth. 

There is in the world more of power, of money, and ^mo'^ey'''and°k)od 

r r 1 ,1 .1 • 'T^i 1 c is more than suf- 

of food than the race requires. Ihe stream oi re- ficient to fiii aii 
source coming to man is unfathomable. If wisely 
conserved and thoughtfully directed, this stream would 
lose no feast that body could consume or brain de- 
mand, not a penny of cash that wealth could use, and 
not an atom of power that possession demands or pos- 
terity could employ. The millions who lack would 
want no more; the work undone would be accom- 
plished ; the promise of creation would be fulfilled. 

More than half the power locked in coal passes up 
the chimney in useless smoke. More than half the 
energy consigned to man is lost in experimental and 
undirected effort. More than half the race, born to a 
heritage of hope, dies in despair. 



requirements. 



Wisdom 
equally 
uted. 



is not 

distrib- 



Mutual helpfulness 
is lacking. 



TT7 HY, if the world possesses all that is needed by 
^ ^ the race, is the race still vainly trying, still 
spending the years in hopelessness, still sinking in the 
sea of failure? 

Because the wisdom of the world is even more un- 
equally distributed than is its power, wealth, or food ; 
because the millions are untaught, though able teachers 
abound; because there is no bond linking the sons of 
men together in one great family; no wise strength, 
born of unity, which, without impoverishing or crip- 
pling the rich, the wise, and the fortunate, still aids 
the weaker brothers by SHOWING THEM HOW. 

The race is doing less than it can because we do not 
help each other; because there is no unity binding us 
all together; no common purpose by which the wise 
may teach the unlettered. If there were, the potential- 
ities of man would not be wasted in smoke ; the wealth 
of the world would not lie half idle, half the subject of 
continual quarrel. And THERE WOULD BE NO 
MORE WAR. 



Plan and specifica- 
tion of an educa- 
tional b rothe r- 
hood. 



Educational facili- 
ties should be ex- 
tended to all. 



^np HE REMEDY. — Many good men the world over 
are looking for some practical plan to be adopted 
by civilization, by which to produce a perfect and in- 
destructible international union — a world brotherhood. 
Let the reader bear with me to the end of this article, 
and see if the idea and plan here suggested do not solve 
the many problems. 

According to statistics, about one-fifth of our popu- 
lation is continually at school. This accounts for the 
wonderful advancement of the last century. As chil- 
dren, we are taught by father, mother, and the kinder- 
garten; and afterward by our secondary schools and 
colleges. In this article I shall endeavor to prove that 
it is a duty government owes to itself — and to the 
race — to extend further educational facilities for the 
benefit of the elders, those in middle life and in old age. 



If this idea is an innovation, so were free schools at 
the beginning. The wonderful printing-press and the 
postal service have made this idea practical. I believe 
it is wise to secure centralized education, which is rep- 
resentative of the people; furthermore, this teaching 
may be used as a governing force, thus adding greatly 
to the value of the education itself. 

To introduce this plan, we must lay the foundation National press. 
of a national press. Consider the grand results that 
would be obtained : Each family in the Republic would 
receive the following five papers, edited by a combina- 
tion of great talent in teaching, men capable of impart- 
ing useful knowledge in their specialized branches for 
the general profit and advancement of the people at 
large. 

PAPER FIRST should be an agricultural journal. Agricultural iour. 
published under the supervision of the Secretary of 
Agriculture, at Washington ; then reviewed and sup- 
plemented at the Experiment Station in each State, to 
suit the climatic conditions therein ; thus perfecting the 
industry of some twenty millions of farmers who hold 
in their hands our greatest national prosperity. 

PAPER SECOND should pertain to science, and 
should contain articles on chemistry, geology, astron- 
omy, electricity, etc. It should contain comments on 
the books of the day, literary articles, reviews. 

PAPER THIRD should pertain to home life, treat- 
ing of the fine arts, music, painting, hygiene, and do- 
mestic economy ; it should contain matter for the inter- 
est and the aid of youth ; miscellaneous articles on party 
measures; political economy; a journal giving both 
sides of all public questions, so that each citizen shall 
be able to cast his vote intelligently ; it should treat also 
of inventions, mechanics, biography, and history. 

PAPER FOURTH should have articles suitable to Undenominational 

, . . in its scope. 

man s spiritual nature, undenominational and present- 
ing a pure morality. 



Scientific articles. 



A paper of interest 
to the entire fam- 
ily. 



Devoted to govern. PAPER FIFTH should bc clcvoted to all questions 
mental reforms. ^£ rcform — the temperancc question, municipal gov- 
ernment, the concentration of wealth, trusts and their 
effects, crime and its prevention. 



A copy to be sent HpHE entire series of these five papers should be sent 

to every family I r -i • i tt • j 

in the United •*• uudcr oue covcr to cvcry lamily m the United 
States each week. The estimated cost is seven cents 
for each family. Such a series of papers, so produced 
and so circulated, would be a fortress against the de- 
struction of government — a source of immeasureable 
united strength for the nation. Its scope makes it a 
fountain of knowledge, and the reliability of such a 
publication would guarantee the acceptance of its con- 
clusions. 
Uses. Let us estimate a few of its uses. As a reform meas- 

ure, it would enter all the homes of the now unconsid- 
ered part of our population, giving them new views of 
life — views good and pure, above reproach. 

The very poor cannot afford to buy books, and pub- 
lic libraries are confined to favored localities. This 
plan excels, inasmuch as the series of papers, in itself 
a library of universal knowledge, reaches every family 
and becomes its own property and subject to its own 
liberty — a practical exponent of the acceptable doctrine 
of "peace on earth, good will to men." 



^HghlTn'me^n"s (^ OVERNMENT has yet many unsolved problems. 
would prevent Vj q^^^ ^f ^^^^^ jg ^■^^ ^.^^^ qucstion. By this plan 

the colored people would be reached in their own 
homes — whether North or South — with educational 
facilities, assisting them to become capable, respectable 
citizens of the Republic: it would make sectional strife 
and a future civil war impossible by giving the com- 
monwealth a continuous, homogeneous education. Our 



national experience from 1861 to 1865, costing the 
North and South bilHons of dollars and the destruc- 
tion of property — added to the sorrowful pain and 
death which placed the nation in mourning — should be 
remembered, and internal strife avoided. Financially- 
speaking, take the principal, the destruction of prop- 
erty, the interest on the cost of the Civil War, and 
finally the pensions, and we have a summary of nearly 
forty billion dollars to date, with the interest perpet- 
ually compounding. Wars and rumors of war should 
and could be made ancient history. All power should 
belong to the people ; and I desire to suggest a central- 
ized education as a general controlling and governing 
force. 

Let an Educational Department be formed at Wash- ^^FditoL"'"*'"^ 
ington. Then, let us say, thirty men, with the outgoing 
President, should be selected by the President and rati- 
fied by the Senate to serve as life editors, after the 
manner of appointing the Judges of the Supreme 
Court ; thereby men of the same world-wide reputation 
for profound wisdom, great learning, and integrity of 
character would be secured. Moreover, in addition 
to these, one editor should be appointed by the Gov- 
ernor of each State and ratified by the lower house of 
Congress to serve a limited number of years. But no 
editor should be eligible to appointment unless vouched 
for by a board selected by our best colleges. The sev- 
enty-five men so chosen would form an editorial college Editorial college, 
at Washington. The plan becomes simple and eco- 
nomical, because on such a large scale. The first series 
of papers should be issued to the District of Columbia. 
Advance sheets should then be sent to the capital of 
each State for supplementary printing and for distribu- 
tion to each family through the post-offices. The Col- 
lege of Editors should organize into committees, each 
committee to have control of a special division of the 



8 

publication and be empowered to purchase manuscripts, 
to employ specialists, and to take other necessary steps 
to bring the paper to the highest possible degree of per- 
fection. The committees would have unlimited facili- 
ties for public good. 



Practical results to ^HpHIS plan is representative of the people, and the 
j_ thought going out to the people will be unsub- 
sidized and truthful. If desired, each side of public 
questions could be considered in a public discussion, in 
contributed articles, for the enlightenment of the 
voters. The conclusions would be vastly more correct 
than with the present plan, where party men take party 
papers which gratify their prejudice or which have too 
much partisan enthusiasm to be reliable. Such a pub- 
lication would rapidly assimilate, educate, and give a 
correct influence to the great numbers of immigrant 
home-seekers constantly landing on our shores. 

Another point : Should it be deemed wise by the peo- 
ple for the Government to pursue an expansion policy, 
on account of commerce, to push Anglo-Saxon civiliza- 
tion, or for any other reason, the plan here suggested 
would rapidly assimilate the Hawaiians, the Porto 
Ricans, and the Filipinos. If they are to be in any 
degree a part of the Republic, they should — in justice 
to the rest of us, no less than in fairness to them- 
selves — be instructed on the best thought of the citi- 
zens whom they are to join. They should have lessons 
in self-restraint and in self-government. 

Such a plan might make inducements for the Cubans 
to join our sisterhood of States. The larger and bet- 
ter educated the nation, the better the publication. Dur- 
ing the Spanish war the writer felt that an alliance with 
some other country would have been acceptable, fear- 
ing a combination of nations against us in Europe. A 
world emergency may yet come when such a movement 



Educational a 1 1 i - 
ance. 



will be acceptable and prudent. Such an alliance could 
be made by an exchange of writers in a formal manner ; 
an alliance that would be purely an educational one, 
amounting to an appeal to the people to create a senti- 
ment and therefore not be entangling. Such an al- 
liance would be very effective if made strong enough, 
and such a publication would be a national mind 
wherein the opinion of the writers makes the opinion 
of the people. 



A /f UCH has been said of the wonderful stability and a safe centraiiza- 

"^"^ power of centralized governments, and that the 
only trouble in centralization was despotism by armies 
through physical force. In this plan we have all the 
power and stability without the danger. We, the peo- 
ple, may have centralized educational influence for the 
sake of self-knowledge, guidance, and unity that gives 
us just what we need. We, as citizens of a Republic, 
would be bound together by blood, language, thought, 
interest, commerce, and by an education invincible in 
the blending, giving us increased intelligence. In this 
way the United States becomes an educational unit. 

Hope suggests that we make our Republic inde- 
structible and make a home wherein the proverbial 
English liberty may live forever. 



N 



OW comes the question : Can the world be made a National Assem- 

bly and Press for 

an educational unit after the same plan? We each country. 



answer that it can, and that it means much. In view 
of the importance of such a movement we ask that a 
National Assembly and Press be established in each 
country — in other words, a duplicate of the one sug- 
gested in this Republic. 



lO 



Then we shall ask for a more important assembly 
than has been established in any nation. We would 
call this greater assembly a World Congress. Its 
make-up and selection should be from among the men 
forming the various national assemblies. We would 
then have an assembly or congress of the world's 
greatest talent, a court of arbitration for the world. 
These men would, as a body, find educational employ- 
ment for themselves through each national assembly, 
to all the post-offices in the world — thus reaching each 
family and each mind in a manner that is simplicity 
itself. 
Modern inventions A fcw ycars ago this schcmc would have been im- 

make the plan i i -i i i i 

possible. possible. The telegraph, the railroad system, the postal 

service, and the printing-press had not then reached 
perfection. Now, such a national press would hold 
the people together with a unifying influence equal to 
that of a commissary department in an army. Man is 
a creature of education, and the mind gets hungry for 
mental food just as does the body for its nourishment. 
The ills of civilization are many. War is one of 
them. From time immemorial war has been regarded 
as a waste of human energy, the curse of humanity, 
the enemy of spiritual life, the bane of the dark ages, 
and the scourge that breeds famine, pestilence, and 
death. It means permission by civilization for two 
minds to hurl thousands or millions of human beings 
together in armed conflict, even over a national line in 
a wilderness (we point to the Boer war) or over some 
other question that a homogeneous education or a 
higher civilization would have rendered unimportant. 



Disastrous dis- O UPPOSE that wheu the earth is fully civilized it 

putes would be /^ 

impossible. ^^ contains fifty nations, and two of them get into a 

dispute. Such a congress as that here suggested has 
access to every ear in the two contending nations, and 



can reason with them as if face to face. Being com- 
posed of earth's greatest talent, their arguments and 
pleadings should be successful. But as a test of power, 
and in case of final resort, the minds of the forty-eight 
nations are to be heard from, whose duty is made plain 
to them by education, and who would support a 
World's Congress by their combined power. We may 
conclude that a moral and financial suicide would not 
be permitted by the people of the two governments. 
The merit of the question in dispute must find its way 
peaceably to this high court of arbitration, dignified by 
all the nations for this purpose. In ancient times peo- 
ple invoked the power of the gods. Are not we justi- 
fied in invoking the vastly more powerful Spirit of the 
Age? 

This would be the invocation : 

"May the Spirit of the Age build for each nation a 
national press, a perpetual clock of learning, the sweep 
of whose combined pendulums reaches from the capital 
of the earth's assembled wisdom to each home in the 
world ! May the armed camps of Europe be broken 
up, and college life be substituted for soldier life ! May 
the multiplied millions and billions of wealth now ex- 
pended in idleness, in armament, or in war, be ex- 
pended in educational facilities for the children of 
men !" 



A SMALL fraction of the expenses of war would 
"^^ pay the expenses of the National Press. A pub- 
lication, such as described, substitutes itself for the 
dime novel, the literature of the anarchist, and other 
bad reading matter. It reaches every corner in every 
dilapidated hut in the world, and becomes an antiseptic 
against each vice and combination of vices that fills 
our courts with criminals, our poor houses, asylums, 
jails, and penitentiaries with victims, and the world 



12 



with weakened minds. At first, it might be said, many 
of these publications would not be read. This is true ; 
but that very fact within itself is the proof of an un- 
healthy condition. 
Wise, combined ef- A government does some things better than can the 

forts will solve i • a i j 

the problem. individual. For example, the postal service. A world 
effort is required in some things. Yellow fever, bu- 
bonic plague, and consumption are examples. A 
World's Congress represents all the people in the world, 
and gives a combination of power that might in time 
eradicate the seed of every weed from the face of the 
earth, and make our globe a new Garden of Eden. 
There can be no limit in doing good or in eradicating 
the bad in any field. 

An alliance of the world's mind for the sake of bet- 
terment makes life, liberty, and property safe through- 
out the entire earth. Capital is quick to see advan- 
tage, and Africa, Asia, and South America would 
quickly be made the home of much permanent invest- 
ment. These countries would be made to absorb hun- 
dreds of thousands of miles of railroads for the in- 
coming millions, for the new civilization — just as a 
like experience has been seen in the United States. 
This means the greatest and the most permanent im- 
petus ever given to manufacturing industries on any 
continent. 

And, best of all, civilization would be made inde- 
structible. From whence could come an element of 
danger that a united mankind could not wisely con- 
sider, and then control or remove? 

Does it not seem a better order than the war and the 
waste of the present arrangement? 



Unhealthy condi- "\X7E scc iu print that some of our greatest minds 

tions exist Yy ,. • i 

are predicting the downfall of this Republic, a 
Republic the greatest the world ever saw. They have 
numerous reasons — among others, expansion on the 



13 



one hand into alien races ; on the other hand, corrup- 
tion and bribery. They point to the fact that central- 
ized combinations of capital make might ; that the situ- 
ation is the same as in a powerful despotic nation ; that 
when might makes right, justice weeps and is incon- 
solable. They point to the fact that since the dawn of 
mankind nations have come and gone— this is true; 
that history repeats itself ; that a time will come, as in 
the past, when the earth will know us no more ; that 
bribery is a sign of eternal decay ; that ambitious men 
in all ages, together with vice, are the direct cause of 
anarchy, bloodshed, and misery. 

But with the plan here suggested we evolutionize ; th^^p'- -"J,^-- 
we run jealousy, selfishness, and war out of existence. 
We act on the aggressive, and make the world a school 
—a World's Congress and a National Assembly— twin 
agents of wisdom to teach and guide us; two divine 
shepherds of protection which allow neither man nor 
nation to stray; persuading, not forcing; leading, not 
driving ; giving, and not taking — two combinations of 
master minds to assist each home and individual to the 
utmost, and wherein each personal advancement is 
limited only by its own effort and capacity. 

This plan is not difficult to accomplish. It needs Needsoniy^anedu- 
only an educational division in all governments that 
will unite and, when united, be like the arm and hand 
of the Almighty, reaching down through clouds and 
lifting civilization to higher and higher levels. 

Master minds throughout the world desire employ- 
ment and honor. Simply a little legislation ends the 
task. Right here in the United States are millions of 
minds hungry for mental food. Right here in the 
United States are men who can supply the demand. In 
a matter so easily accomplished why procrastinate? 
Let us, of this Anglo-Saxon Republic, be the first to 



14 

try this experiment, this organization of educated gov- 
ernment, this home environment in the effort to conse- 
crate home hfe, to the end that all things evil and 
wicked may perish and that all things noble and good 
may take root and grow and remain imperishable ; and 
to the end that each fireside shall find contentment, 
shall be made attractive, instructive, and happy. Then, 
Other nations will if Other uations shall follow our example, a higher, 

follow our exam- ..... . ■, r 

pie. nobler, grander civilization awaits us, whose force 

must cover the entire earth, stimulating and educating 
each atom of mankind toward moral, mental, and finan- 
cial betterment. We claim if dollars and cents can be 
organized so as not to fight each other, and the organ- 
ization be economical and otherwise beneficial, so can 
the moral and mental interests of all men be so organ- 
ized. 



education. 

Let the skeptic 
answer : Yes or 
no. 



The millennium ^T^HE millennium (is such a prophecy false?), if it 
through proper -*- bc oulv 3. pcrfect cducatioual condition and the 
reverse of war and contention, is not necessarily a far- 
off possibility. We ourselves may bring it near. Our 
children may realize it. Such a prophecy means every 
evil thought and action must disappear. It may take 
thousands of years, but it can be done. We can make 
learning and wisdom universal and earth an educa- 
tional bee-hive, God's footstool a studio and not a bat- 
tlefield. As a precedent, the Saviour sought and taught 
to govern by education and persuasion. Can we do 
better than emulate His example ? 

With every one all these conditions lie close to each 
heart, for we leave them as an inheritance to our chil- 
dren. Educational divisions in government are but 
a gigantic economical organization of the people them- 
selves. It is of the people, for the people, and by the 
people. It is a community of material interests for the 



15 

quickening of inventive genius the world over, for the 
establishing of peaceable commerce, for the spread of 
humanity, and for the suppression of anarchy, vice, 
and war. 

This is better than the present system of waste. 

The world is as we make it, and favorable conditions 
and governments are the greatest of all inheritances. 



A 



N educational division of all the nations, even Mankind upUfted 

' to the highest 

when united, changes the structure of no gov- plane of utihty. 
emment, except by evolution within itself. But it 
means more than an outward and visible change could 
imply. It means that the entire manhood and woman- 
hood of the human race, acting under modern and 
reasonable methods, can be controlled as a body and at 
the same time be uplifted to the highest plane of utility; 
that the wealth of the earth can and will concentrate 
the wisdom and strength of the earth upon each mind 
and make each nation a college. 

The world is a larger college, containing as many 
rooms and places of active improvement as there are 
human beings in existence. 



THE success of this movement would realize the Crime win be elim- 
inated, 
perfection of economy, for it would extinguish 

war and gradually eliminate crime. It would be profit- 
able on account of the increased ratio of material bet- 
terment. Therefore, the movement would cost noth- 
ing, and civilization so constructed must meet and 
would meet the approval of Omnipotence and effect the 
saving of ourselves. For perfect environment would 



i6 



Centralization 
necessary. 



constantly surround our children, ennoble them, and 
keep them in the midst of peace, thrift, and wisdom 
forever. 

[We desire to use the same ideas, using different illustrations ; this in order to 
show the practical workings o£ the plan.] 

From a business point of view, Mr. Rockefeller's 
organization is perfection. All vast combinations of 
capital organize themselves into a unit with a direct- 
ing head of greatest capacity and wisdom. Then why 
not the human race? Also, why not each nation, the 
same having a head only as a smaller unit, to assist 
with its combined wisdom in its own industries, and to 
direct its own learning in detail? Betterment is the 
business of mankind, and a most important one. 



A world unity. * WORLD UNITY.— All nations ask for a unity 

^^^ as against a world internal menace. This plan 
secures such a unity outside of further diplomacy, and 
it gives us a world unity that forever perfects itself by 
assisting and directing experimental effort as a whole, 
and, in the nature of things, compelling, through con- 
science, exact justice to all. Much depends on the 
United States. We, as a Republic, are untrammeled 
and are said to be the hope of the world. 

If so, shall we not, as a nation, set an example, and 
thus, as a nation, start a practical movement in national 
unity and in world unity, that will, in a coming time, 
bring the whole world under one great beneficent and 
perfect educational influence, to the end that the limit- 
less good of the earth may rest in blessing on all the 
children of men? 



17 

IN the past a condition mostly the reverse of this has Guarantees perfect 
been true ; also, history shows that in all times and 
in all ages the bane of humanity has been the betrayal 
and perversion of power. Therefore a World's Con- 
gress of educators and such a centralization of thought 
is needed in behalf of human liberty, human rights, 
and the safety of nations. Furthermore, such a Con- 
gress would influence and guarantee absolute fairness 
in commerce and trade, and not only this, but deter- 
mine and dictate the purity, character, and quality of 
the thought that goes to each mind. Each nation 
being represented in this convention by its greatest 
wisdom, such a body of men would represent the 
world's judgment, and their power over the world's 
mind would make a perfect world unity. To accom- 
plish such a unity is the question of the day. 

In order to make progress, in this article, let us pre- ^^^ o.gani^^tion 
sume each nation willing to furnish the means to trans- fP^^ ^^°* "pe--^" 
mit such wisdom and learning to the people; then 
would come the question of organization and how best 
to secure the character and purity of such a Congress 
in its first conception. The responsibility would be on 
modern civilization, after which we could point to a 
precedent. The United States, in her organization, 
made it incumbent for each State to enter her union 
by request and permission. In this new educational 
organization the backward and half-civilized nations 
could be admitted to a congress of instructive nation- 
hood just as our Western States have become an active 
part of our civil union. At a proper time, if compul- 
sory education is right in principle for the preservation 
of a State or nation, why not multiply its scope in favor 
of such an international educational unity because of 
the stability it would insure, and make such civilization 
world-wide? We, however, point to the fact that 



such a Congress would be in control of civilization, 
and its members, being themselves educators, would 
necessarily be aggressive ; they would extend their own 
influence. 

All questions in betterment are important, but of 
multiplied importance is the problem of a world unity. 
At the Hague Convention, called at the instigation of 
Russia, all nations expressed themselves as extremely 
desirous of such a unity. If all are desirous, what na- 
tion could object to a world unity founded absolutely 
upon individual betterment? The daily converse with 
the world's greatest intelligence would bring to each 
citizen a permanent betterment in every conceivable 
direction, therefore a betterment immeasurable. All 
powers of right belong to the people and a world unity 
would mean the unity of all people; all people desire 
to be advanced along the line of their own and uni- 
versal betterment. Hence there can be no other plan, 
for some lines of improvement are world-wide in their 

Requirements of i i • n '-r> -n 

life demand im- naturc and rcQuire an extended mnuence. lo illus- 
trate: The necessities of posterity require the world's 
forethought — our descendants deserve a more econom- 
ical use of the coal beds or a satisfactory substitute for 
this fuel ; their necessities demand the preservation of 
forests, the fertility of the soil, the benefits of useful 
forms of animal life liable to become extinct through 
immoderate waste. Plant life should be developed to 
its utmost limit; bird life protected, which in return 
protects plant life; the oppression of the Jews and the 
persecution of the Armenians should cease; justice the 
world over should weep no more; millions of people 
in congested centers, rearing children and starving, 
should be persuaded to transplant themselves to some 
of the many fertile wildernesses, thus developing un- 
touched resource and producing added prosperity and 
employment. The correction of such abuses is a part 



provements. 



considered. 



19 

of our duty to posterity. The necessities of the human 
race do not call for more resource, but for a wise, in- 
structive, directing head, a World's Congress of great- 
est wisdom. 

As this is a practical age, let us analyze the expense, "^savfnf shCuid*be 
Seven cents per week means one cent per day for each 
family, the average family consisting of five persons. 
At twenty cents per hour it takes each member of the 
family thirty-six seconds a day to pay tribute. But 
there comes a rebate in the shape of improved sanitary 
conditions, resulting in prolonged life in which to earn 
the tribute. The greatness and the power of organ- 
ization is v/onderful. For its perfection we point to 
Germany and France, who, when in danger, it is said, 
can move their entire useful manhood in thirty or sixty 
days to a given point; then we ask that you compare 
the expense and the result of the organizations. An- 
other example of worse than wasted energy was our 
Civil War, aggravated by causes that never should 
have existed. Shall we not ask ourselves the ques- 
tion : Are we, the human race, doing the best we can ? 
We know all governments are made with human 
hands ; observation discovers their want of perfection, 
and The Hague Convention expressed a need of a 
closer union between nations. Then why not adopt a 
combined instructive nationhood? We claim that the 
twentieth century is an age of progress, of commerce, 
of evolution, and of betterment. The general asser- 
tion, as sometimes made, that history repeats itself, 
means fatalism. Civilizations have come and gone, 
but in unity they were not organized nor founded upon 
individual betterment. Had we such an organization, 
a single wise, great, and beneficial thought might reach 
all minds and change the world. It would have a chan- 
nel through which to bring itself to the attention of 
every human being with the insistence of authority. 



20 



Then, in view of accomplishing the long-wished-for 
world unity — an everlasting and indestructible unity — 
is it not reasonable to ask each nation to combine duty 
and pleasure, taking such thoughts and adding to them 
others, the product of their own greatest talent, and 
with centralized environments make each home life per- 
fect ? It is evident that if half the world can be so con- 
trolled, eventually the other half will be brought to the 
same condition. In organization we accumulate 
power. For good and for evil, power is mighty. 
This power must be found and left with the people. 
After Omnipotence, Earth's wisdom should control 
mankind. Under the plan we have presented, all peo- 
ple would be as one family to be educated, and neces- 
sarily costly, suicidal, ambitious dissensions would dis- 
appear ; moreover, livelihood would be more easily ob- 
tained. Intellectually, in mind and thought, the human 
race would become homogeneous and attain the great- 
est excellence. Indeed, the measure of every known and 
inconceivable excellence that would be reached by pos- 
terity could know no limit. 



REMARKS. 

HOW TO ESTABLISH THE REMEDY. 

Our example ^T^ O the comiug f ricnds of this movement and to 
i^w"d. ^ ^" "*■ those who fortunately control the greatest Re- 
public the world ever saw, to you we venture to say, 
should the United States adopt an educative depart- 
ment of government suitable to this movement, all 
other nations, in defense of their own commerce and 
trade, would be compelled to establish the same. Why ? 
The reason is this : Such an educative movement upon 
our part would encourage and stimulate the inventive 
genius of the American people to an extent unpar- 
alleled. We are already, on account of our multiplied 



21 



advantages, absorbing the world's trade. With such 
additional awakening, assisting and intensifying the 
American genius, our manufacturers could and would 
make still lower prices and immeasurably greater in- 
roads upon such trade, thus compelling, by greater in- 
telligence, but in a legitimate and natural competition, 
all other nations to better educate their own people or 
retire from competition in business. Thus, the Amer- 
ican people hold the key to the movement, and being 
their own masters, have the power to establish a world 
condition of this kind. The primary question, there- 
fore, relates to the possibilities of establishing a suit- 
able department in our own country. The situation is 
this: We have two dominant political parties, each 
seeking every advantage in its own behalf. Should 
the party in power neglect or refuse to grant this edu- 
cative movement, such a question would become a na- The question 

•^ could become a 

tional issue. The plan upholds each mother's hands, National issue. 
and no father would oppose the movement. The very 
essence of the issue that would be forced into debate is 
this : Are armies and armaments necessary to a civiliza- 
tion that can be controlled through the mind ? Neces- 
sarily, we repeat, the world is bending under unneces- 
sary expense; we all remember the Civil War indebted- 
ness. 

Our demands are most reasonable; we simply ask w^shouid^startthe 
for an organization and express the desire to be the 
first link in a chain of nations wherein earth's wisdom 
can constantly address and educate power. We claim 
that if a nation can be controlled and educated, and 
that if the world can be controlled and at the same time 
educated, it ought to be done, for multiplied billions in 
economy would thus be secured each century. Be it 
remembered, however, that the future of civilization is 
not a question of finance, but of organized intelligence. 
To establish such a plan is a matter of legislation that 



movement. 



22 



can be quickly accomplished. Then, under this, the 
most enlightened and useful auspices a world could 
know, were civilization to get ever so perfect, the cen- 
tralized wisdom of the nation and of the earth would 
forever be in the lead and on account of such environ- 
ment no part could ever again recede. We trust this 
article will turn the thought and effort in this direction. 
The idea is a new one and needs developing. Such a 
publication could be much improved and extended. We 
have endeavored to present merely a general outline of 
the movement, entering upon details only so far as to 
show its practicability. It is for the new department 
of government — the concentrated intelligence and wis- 
dom of the nation — to develop the plan in all its de- 
tails and put it into practical operation. 



THE foregoing article and remarks stand for a 
prospectus of a monthly magazine desired to be 
established and published in the city of Washington, 
D. C, entitled, 

THE PEOPLE'S WORLD. 

We hold we are excusable, as the free-school system 
has done wonders for the people, and it is our desire 
to advocate a semblance of this system extended to 
home life, using the centralized wisdom of the nation 
and of the world as sources from which to derive addi- 
tional knowledge and usefulness. 



23 

A GAIN, in the accomplishing of this movement, we 
-^ point to the unbounded prestige of the United 
States among all nations, and we desire this Republic 
to be both a leader and an educator. The former as an 
object lesson, the latter in precept and argument, this 
last through the centralized wisdom of our nation, 
wherein such a body of men could and would plead the 
cause of human rights to a slowly improving race of 
people constantly and anxiously seeking betterment. 
After which and from this influential stand need we 
have a doubt but what God's beautiful, exhaustless, 
generous and prolific earth must become a world re- 
public in representative and progressive thought, se- 
curing to each country and government an absolute na- 
tional unity, to all the nations combined an absolute 
world unity, whose very foundation stone is human 
development. 



"VT OW comes the question and the first step. Shall we The first step. 

^ make such an idea and plan of educational govern- 
ment in the United States a national issue ? If made a 
national issue and successful, then haply in every land 
and clime, and as a unit, the mighty and enlightened 
voice of our nation must be heard until a congress of 
earth's greatest wisdom shall care for, educate, develop, 
guide and rule the world. 

The population of the United States will soon be 
one hundred millions of people, or, say, one-seventeenth 
of the world's population. Our influence, so solidly 
made, so wisely and sincerely given, would be almost 
supreme. Also, the numerical greatness of the neces- 
sities and the vast importance thereof cannot be over- 
stated. 

At present the waste and unoccupied lands of the 
earth could, if utilized, many thousand times pay the 
world's indebtedness. The material interests of the 



world are the same, and the world is already highly 
enough civilized for our purpose, and were our gov- 
ernment so organized it would be enabled to quickly 
establish its views. If so organized, all humanity 
would be allowed to witness an example of one hun- 
dred millions of earth's wisest and greatest people 
speaking in one mighty voice. For the world not to 
listen to a voice so emphasized would be against its 
own interest and a discourtesy. 

This is a day of much reading, and in this article we 
claim our nation's voice could convince and persuade 
as many other nations as to the merits of such a move- 
ment as quickly as could a gifted individual convince 
the same number of people. 

Unfortunately for us, now comes the tug of war. 
The difficulty is this, — Can this obscure article in some 
way make such an idea and plan of educational govern- 
ment in the United States a national issue, and thus 
lead up to the plan of placing all people under one great 
and perfect educational voice and inUuencef For cer- 
tainly as this republic goes on this question, so goes the 
ivorld. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



022 138 609 7 



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